Wagon-brake



(No Model.) V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

D. F. WEGNER & A. A. 'B'ELTMAN.

WAGON BRAKE.

Patented Dec. 20, 1 892..

WITNESSES %4 Q%%@ A TTOHNEYS.

8 I z sh e etb sheet 2. D. FQ'WEGNER 8 A. IA. BELTMAN;

WAGON BRAKE.

No. 488,489. P8tented Deo. 20,'1 892.

(No Model) WITNESSES. l AiVENTO/U Mfg/m8 I JZQ JZM A TTOHNE Y8.

llnrrnn STATES PATENT rricn DFTLEF F. WEGNER AND ARNOLD A. BELTMAN, OFTOWER CITY, NORTH DAKOTA.

WAGON-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,489, dated December20, 1892..

Application filed July 19, 1892. Serial lie/140,492. (No model.)

V 5 county, North Dakota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in YVagon- Brakes, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improved v wagon-brake of that class inwhich the brakeaction is produced when the wagon goes down hill, bythebacking of the horses, so that the brake-shoes are applied automaticallyto the hind-wheels: and the invention consists of a I wagon-brake inwhich the tongue is attached to a frame that is guided in side-pieces ofthe fifth wheel, the tongue-supporting frame being stiffened by suitablestraps and provided with bracket-arms that carry a transverse 2o shafthaving disks at the ends, said disks forming frictional contact with thehubs of the front-wheels when the brake-action is to be produced. Thecentral part of the shaft is guided in a suitable keeper of the frontaxle and connected by a chain with the connecting-rods applied to fulcrumed levers, the outer ends of which are connected by links with thebrake-shoes, so that by the backing up of the horses and frictionalcontact of the disks with the hubs of the front-wheels the brake-shoesare applied automatically to the hind-wheels and produce thereby apowerful brake-action on the same.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l 3 5 represents a bottom-view of awagon with our improved wagon-brake applied thereto. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse-section of the same on line 3 3, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a wagon-box which is supportedon bolsters A of the rear axle a, and which is connected by a king-boltA in the usual manner with the front-axle a A reach A connects the frontand rear-axles, said reach being made long enough so as to permit theuse of the same with longer Wagon-bodies. such as are used for carryinghay and similar products. The

side-pieces C of the fifth wheel 0 are extended in forward direction,said side-pieces being supported by suitable straps C attached to theunder side of the front-axle as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

On the front ends of the side-pieces of the fifth wheel 0 is guidedaslide-frame D which is formed of a main cross-piece D to which thetongue D is applied and of a wroughtiron strap D which is attached atits front ends to the main piece D and to its transverse portion therear-end of the tongue D is rigidly bolted. The paralled side-portionsof the rod or strap D are provided with slots 61 that are guided onheaded bolts cl in the sidepieces 0 of the fifth wheel 0, so that theslideframe D has a certain play within which it can slide in forward orbackward direction. The front ends of the side-pieces 0' pass throughslots 01 of the main cross-piece D The slide-frame D is provided withbackwardly-extending bracket-arms e which are provided with bearings forsupporting a transverse shaft E, the middle portion of which issupported by a wrought-iron bracket-clip 6 attached to the under side ofthe frontaxle 0. as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

To the outer ends of the transverse shaft E are applied friction disks Ewhich can be moved into contact with the inner ends of the hubs a of thefront-wheels a, said hubs being covered with leather hands a so as toincrease the friction with the disks E', when the same are placed incontact with the inner end of the hubs. To the middle portion of theshaft E is attached by means of an eye or otherwise a connecting-chain Fwhich connects the shaft with the \l-shaped bail f. Links f are appliedto the ends of the bail and connectthe same with the levers F that arefulcrumed to clips F of the rear axle, the outer ends of the fulcrumedlevers being connected by pivot-linksf with eyes attached to the sidesof the brake-shoes G. The links f that connect the V-shaped bail withthe inner ends of the fulcrumed levers are guided in eyes g at the endsof a bracket 9 that is attached to the reach, said eyes being adapted tobe arranged at different points of the reach, so that the brake can beadapted to Wagon-bodies of different lengths it being attached to apoint nearer to the front axle when a shorter wagon-body and to a pointfarther away from the front axle when a wagon-body of greater length isused. The brake-shoes G are applied to the end of a IOO transverse rod Gthe middle portion of which is supported in a bearing or sleeve Grattached to the reach and shoes are connected by a transverse rod 9 thatextends from brakeshoes to brake-shoe. The link f by which the outerends of the fulcrnmed levers F are connected with the brake-shoes areconnected with eyes on the brake-shoes that are located above theconnection of the shoes with the transverse rod G, so that the shoes canbe readily swung on the said rod and applied to the hind wheels when thebrake is called into action. The rod G is suspended from the wagon-boxby means of chains g so that its relative position toward thehind-wheels is retained.

The brake-shoes are made of cast-metal blocks which are provided withcurved concave faces and with a central groove into which the curvedshoe or wood or other suitable material is inserted, whereby a greaterbrakeaction is exerted as when metal isin frictional contact with metal.These braceshoes can be readily driven into blocks and readily replacedwhen worn out.

To the transverse shaft E are applied two spring clutches one at eachside of the central supporting bracket, which spring-clutches eachconsist of a fixed member it that is rigidly attached to the shaft andof a movable and spring-actuated member it that is formed on the end ofa sleeve which is guided by a longitudinal slot 71 on the fixed pin itof the shaft E. At the end of the movable member h is arranged a collarh between which and a fixed collar h on the shaft E is interposed ahelical spring 72 the tension of which holds the toothed faces of theclutch-members h and h in mesh with each other. When by the backing ofthe horses the slide-frame D is moved in backward direction, so that thedisks E are applied to the hubs of the front wheels, the shaft E isturned by the friction between the disks E and the hubs in the directionshown by the arrow in Fig. 2. By the turning of the shaft the chainwhich connects the same with the system of brake-levers is wound up, sothat the brake-levers apply the brake-shoes to the hind-wheels andproduce thereby a powerful action of the brake. When the vehicle isbacked the fixed parts are moved over the teeth of the movable members,or in other words, the movable clutch parts are pressed sidewise so asto permit the teeth of the fixed members to pass the teeth of themovable parts. As soon as the backward strain of the slide-frame D isrelieved, so that the brake-action on the hind-Wheels is to be removed,the slide-frame is moved in forward direction, so that the contactbetween the disks E with the hubs of the frontwheels is interrupted.Simultaneously the unwinding of the chain takes place by the turning ofthe shaft E in opposite direction during which motion the members of theclutch are in mesh with each other.

Whenever the brake is to be applied to the hind wheels, this can beaccomplished either by the backing of the horses by the drivers, so thatthe slide-frame is moved in backward direction, and produces the actionof the transverse shaft and thereby the application of the brakes.

When the wagon is going down hill the brake-action is producedautomatically, as the horses naturally commence to hold back against thewagon. If the road has a considerable grade, the horses are naturallyheld back still more, so that the brake is applied with considerablepower and in a very reliable manner without necessitating anyapplication of the brakes by the driver.

' The applying and releasing-of the brake shoes from the hind-wheels isaccomplished in a perfect, easy and very reliable manner by theautomatic action of the mechanism without requiring any special exertionby the driver.

' Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination, with a sliding-frame supported on the side-pieces ofthe fifth wheel,

said sliding-frame supporting the wagontongue, of a shaft that issupported in bracket-arms of the sliding-frame and provided withfriction-disks forming contact with the hubs of the front-wheels, achain applied to the transverse shaft, brake-shoes suspended near thehind-wheels, fnlcrumed levers connected with the brake-shoes and byintermediate links with the chain attached to the transverse shaft,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the side-pieces of a fifth wheel, of asliding-frame to which the wagon-tongue is attached, said sliding-framebeing guided on the side-pieces of the fifthwheel by means of a strap,to the rear part of which the tongue is attached, a transverse shaftsupported in brackets of the slidingframe and provided withfriction-disks that form contact with the hubs of the frontwheels, abracket attached to the front-axle and adapted to support the middleportion of the transverse shaft, springclutches arranged on the shaft, achain connected to the transverse shaft, brake-shoessuspended near thehind-wheels, a brake lever mechanism and links by which the actuatingchain is connected with the brake-levers, so as to apply the same whenthe slide-frame is moved in backward direction, substantially as setforth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we have signedour names in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DETLEF F. WEGNER. ARNOLD A. BELTMAN. Witnesses:

R. P. SHERMAN, HERMAN DETTBERNER.

